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What's the perfect vehicle for winter entertaining? A bar cart of course! This affordable, glamorous piece of furniture takes your party to where ever you need it in your living room, dining room or even bedroom.

Bar carts are one of the most versatile pieces you can add to your home. Of all items in this dining space, the bar cart is the one that remains for all three purposes. Here it's outfitted as a drink station and a designated spot for keeping fresh towels within arm's reach as well as bottled water and open storage.

Before: This drink cart is being used as a glorified bookshelf in this living room. Why not tap into the true entertaining potential of an elegant cart like this one, and set it up for winter entertaining with a selection of beautiful bottles of liquor, your favorite wine—nicely displayed—and some gorgeous, light-catching glassware?

Always apply multiple light coats of spray paint, rather one or two heavy coats. If you do heavy coats and don’t wait long enough in between coats, you run the risk of having that permanently “sticky” feeling on the piece. Hold the can about 8″ away and just spray a light coat, overlapping each pass and releasing at the end of each.

Take your time sanding down all of the surfaces you are going to paint; this will help the paint adhere to the surface, and a nice smooth finish will look and feel best in the end. If you have some really rough spots, start with 80-grit sandpaper, then work your way to 120.

Now that your bar is beautiful, what should you serve your guests? Christian May of Maison 21 suggests mixing the practical with the unexpected. "Have a selection of basic liquors: vodka, gin, bourbon or whiskey and vermouth," May says. "Round these out with a few funky liquors in bottles with different shapes for visual appeal."

While traditional bar carts can come with ornate patterns or finishes too formal for more transitional or contemporary spaces, modern wooden bar carts in teak or walnut add clean, simple lines and a touch of richness. Keep in mind that wooden bar carts will most likely require re-staining or oiling once or twice yearly.